Distracted Driving Causes Accidents

(St. Francois County, MO) Missouri Department of Transportation officials are evaluating their recent Buckle Up Phone Down Day campaign to improve seat belt usage in the state. An Area Engineer with MODOT, Chris Crocker, says they have an online pledge drivers can sign to show their support for driving safely with no distractions.

According to Crocker Missouri’s 2022 Seat Belt Usage Survey showed 89% of vehicle occupants use a seat belt, matching the highest rate the state has ever recorded. But the unbuckled 11% make up a majority of the state’s roadway fatalities, which reached a 15 year high in 2021. Cellphone use continues to be one of the most concerning behaviors for all roadway users. In 2021, over half of the distracted driving fatalities in Missouri claimed the life of someone besides the distracted driver.